1846-D Quarter Eagle (1846-D $2.50) PCGS AU55. This lovely branch mint 1846-D Quarter Eagle is virtually free of the surface abrasions and marks that are often found on similarly graded pieces. Shimmering mint luster is seen within the devices especially so on the obverse. A hint of wear on the high points keeps it from a higher grade. The strike is above average on the obverse and strong on the reverse. The design of the quarter eagle was done by Engraver Christian Gobrecht. It is similar to his Liberty Head Coronet motif for the Large Cents of 1837 to 1857. The reverse shows the essentially unchanged heraldic eagle with the denomination written as 2 D. The D mintmark is above the denomination on top of the arrows feather.

In the early 1800s gold was discovered in North Carolina and Georgia on Cherokee Indian land. Realizing the need for standardization and because of poor modes of travel, a mint was built in each state to coin only gold. In Georgia it was erected at Dahlonega, a gold mining community and site of the first gold rush in the United States. Because of the local alloys high silver content, Dahlonega gold coins often have a green-gold cast. Unlike the present coin, they are also often weakly struck on irregular planchets.

In AU55 there are 19 with 18 better.